Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1887-08-26
POLITICS.
(CleYeland Prraa.l

Reading and relying upon the partisan
blanket sheets, one would think that all |
things earthly had come TO depend for
their perpetnity upon the nomination aud |
election OF state ticket. Witness the
acres and ncrcs Of political interviews aud
gossip sent in by special correspondents.
Note the endless columns Of rqubs, par
agrapls and editorials devoted 10 the pol
ilicnl Situntion, crow,ling, M they ,lo, nll
other questions uf time aud eternity into
nnathrmas, pleadings, tlrentninga, lyings
aud inundnes muttcrrd slricked aud howl.
ed nj peaceful public week days aud Sun.
days without diminn,iuu or temporary
cessation, What wonder IL tina old, old
story told every two years with persistent
and awful seriousness should impress some
people ns being thing OF errilr moment
What wonder that they should view the
election OF II governor aud some state Off
GERS and handful of legislators, az being
something 81 grave nnd fearfulas TO COM
pass the total of human happiness or mis-
cry?
To 90 ont of every 100 of our citizens
good assessor Is of more consequence than
a good governor a good board OF town.
ship or municipal trustees of far greater
importance Than good Legislature. So
true is this that it would seem reasonable,
il 1t were possible, that all this hoodooing
over state ticket, is bnt n diversion to at
tract mems attention from the more vital
matters Of local administration.
II matters not how il comes about tha
public attention is 80 diverted, and that
the distraction becomes greater Ms time
goes on. Certain II is that it is so, and
that the very portions Of the political field
that demand the most attention are con-
stantly receiving the least. Careful atten-
ton TO local politics would create a state
OF things that would be nm absolute guar
antee OF good state politics. Buta persis-
tency in making state affairs paramount TO
local ores inevitably breeds a looseness
and ecklessness in primary politics that
revenges itself ultimately IN shrieking,
lying, demagogical condition of state pol
itics such rs nothing but great elasticity
and prosperity in the masses could endure,
A remedy for this must be found by the
people themselves. The party leaders and
party press will never profler any remedy.
: They live by dust.throwing. They come
upon prof, through confusion and obscur-
iiy. AS through conscious that the peo-
Pile are beginning TO partially sense the
situation, the party managements are be-
coming more dramatic aud spectacular.
Conventions that used to meet quietly and
: get through with their business in one day
now requires Two or three days TO 60
through their programmes OF parades, brass
music and spread eagle rhetoric. This
method of conducting conventions shows
, that party managements find it necessary
A 10 make more noise and display than for
merly 10 maintain diversion OF the pub
lie attention. The question Ia, can the
! show be stained 10 keep pace with the g, ow'
ing indifference OF the masses. or will there
, come time, and that soon, when Other
methods than pounding brass and dIstrb-
uting dust will be relied upon to catcl
the approval of n thoughtful people?